Envelope



D. LUM

ENVELOPE Oct. 25, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed May 10, 1962 FIG.6

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DONALD LUM viZMw his attorneys.

D. LUM

ENVELOPE Oct. 25, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed May 10, 1962 FIGII FIGIO l I I l l I l I I 1 I I 1 I I I {yd/u his attorneys.

+ I r\ I I I I I I I I I I I United States Patent 3,281,061 ENVELOPE Donald Lum, Hilton, N.Y., asignor to Rochester Envelope Company, Inc., Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Continuation of application Ser. No. 193,811, May 10, 1962. This application May 28, 1964, Ser. No. 371,886 16 Claims. (Cl. 229-78) This application is a continuation of my copending application Serial No. 193,811, filed May 10, 1962, for Envelope, now abandoned.

This invention relates to envelope construction and more particularly to the construction of envelopes of the type having a filling opening closed by a foldable flap, one object being to provide an envelope having features affording increased utility and increased security for its contents.

Another object is the provision of a construction comprising improved fastener means for concomitantly securing both the closure fiap and the walls or panels of the envelope body itself in closed, article retaining condition.

A further object is to provide a construction having the above advantages and which is economical to manufacture and convenient and effective in operation.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an envelope embodying the present invention as viewed from its back side or panel and in open and flat condition;

FIG. 2 is a view of the same in closed condition as seen from the front side or panel;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 in FIG. 1 with the envelope expanded for the reception of contents;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the bottom fiap before closure and scaling to the back panel;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the envelope filled and closed;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the top of the envelope after closing, but indicating the closure fiap torn open;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 7-7 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a modified embodiment;

FIG. 9 shows the embodiment of FIG. 8 with the closure flap closed and fastened;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a further modification;

FIG. 11 is a view of the embodiment of FIG. 10 as seen from the right in expanded, article containing condition;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged sectional view through the fastener means of the embodiment of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 10 but showing a further modification;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view of the modification of FIG. 13 but showing the bottom closure flap before folding and application to the back panel, and

FIG. 15 is a section on the line 15-15 of FIG. 13, but showing the envelope and its back pocket expanded to receive the contents.

One embodiment of the invention, FIGS. 1 to 7 in elusive, comprises a construction made from a sheet of 3,281,061 Patented Oct. 25, 1966 ICC paper or other sheet material, preferably folded into generally tubular shape with its ends adhesively overlapped at 20, to form a pair of opposed panels that merely for identification are designated front panel 22 and rear panel 24. Such construction can be formed to include panel connecting, expansible side walls 26 folded inwardly upon themselves as shown in the fiat condition of the envelope and adapted to unfold and expand for the reception of bulky contents, such for example, as a package or roll of camera film. Front panel 22 has foldably connected therewith a bottom closure flap 27 foldable about a line 28 and adhesively secured to the back panel 24, the material being scored along lines 29 to permit the expansion of the bottom of the side walls and of the bottom flap 27 as required by the contents.

The other or top end of the front panel 22 has foldably connected therewith a closure flap 30 adapted for folding about the line 31 for closing the top of the envelope. The side walls 26 are preferably extended at their top and bottom ends, as shown, for folding of their ends with the top and bottom flaps, to more effectively seal the envelope corners. Top flap 30 may be provided with an area 32 coated with adhesive for a purpose hereafter described.

The overlapped and adhesively connected ends of the sheet in the back panel are formed with a circular opening or aperture 34 therethrough, and a similar aperture or opening 36 is formed in the front panel in registry with the opening 34, spaced from but adjacent the tops of the panels. Top closure flap 30 has fixed on its inner side a metal fastener device 38 of generally cruciform shape having one pair of oppositely extending arms 40 provided with portions pressed through and clinched to the top flap as shown at 42 (FIG. 5). Fastener 38 has another pair of oppositely extending arms or prongs 44 initially lying against the surface of the flap, fastener 38 being made of readily bendable metal so that arms 44 are bendable upwardly from the flap for insertion through opening 34 in the back panel and opening 36 in the front panel and subsequent bending against the outer face of the front panel as shown in FIG. 2, to secure flap 30 to the panels and the panels to each other for closing the envelope.

It is apparent from the above description that the fixation of the fastener means 38 on the closure fiap and the insertion of its prongs through openings in both the front and back panels, serves to not only securely attach the closure flap to the body of the envelope, but also to securely attach the front and back panels together and thus reliably maintain the closure of the envelope against the loss of contents of substantial bulk and weight such as referred to above. Should the closure flap 30 be torn away from its anchorage to the fastener, as indicated in FIG. 6, the fastener arms 40 have a combined length greater than the diameter of the openings 34 and 36, so that the fastener remains anchored in the front and back panels and so continues to maintain the closure of the envelope. In some circumstances, as in the case of contents including small parts, it may be desirable to likewise seal flap 30 to the back panel by means of an adhesively coated area 32.

The foregoing embodiment of the invention is compatible with a modified construction shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 in which a top closure flap 45, generally similar to closure flap 30 of the above embodiment, is extended to provide an inner tab 47 and an outer tab 49 separated from each other and from the closure flap by lines of scoring, so that the tabs may be separately torn away from the closure flap. Flap 45 has fixed thereto the fastener device described above and the front and back panels are formed with registering openings as already described for securely closing the envelope. In the use of this mod ification,-the envelope and its detachable tabs 47 and 49 are marked with the same order number. In the sale of an article by a dealer to a customer, the dealer may detach and retain tab 49 for his record. When the cus tomer delivers the article to a processing agent, he may detach and retain tab 47 for his record, while the processor has a record of the order number on the envelope delivered by the customer, so that the several steps in the handling of an article may be readily traced by the assigned order number. If desired, tab 47 may be folded over flap 45 and the fastener clinched through both thicknesscs, to increase the strength of the closure flap.

A further modification of the construction of FIGS. 1-7 is shown in FIGS. -12 and comprises a bottom closure flap 46 having an extended portion 48 overlying the back panel 51 and formed with an opening 50 in registry with the fastener openings of the front and back panels already described. The top closure flap 52 on the front panel 53 is provided as before with a fastener device 54 having prongs adapted to be bent up and inserted through the openings in fiap extension 48 and the front and back panels, to secure all of these parts together. Flap extension 48 is conveniently marked with the name and address of the customer, to be torn off by a protxssing agency, to afford a record of convenient form in returning the processed article to the customer. The expansively folded side walls 56 are preferably extended as in the first modification, to fold with the top closure flap to more completely close the corners of the envelope.

Still a further modification is shown in FIGS. 1315 where the bottom flap 60 is extended in substantially full width to a point adjacent the top opening of the envelope, to overlie the back panel 62 to which the flap extension is adhesively united along its opposite edges as at 64 (FIG. 14), but with its upper end left free or open, so as to provide a pocket 66 between it and the back panel of the envelope. The flap extension 60 is formed with a fastener opening 68 in registry with the opening 70 in the back panel 62 and with the fastener opening 74 in the front panel 76, for the insertion of the fastener prongs as described above. Flap extension 60 thus supplies a pocket for the convenient reception of money to pay the cost of processing of an article delivered in the envelope to a processing agency. Here also, if the closure flap should be torn off (FIG. 6), the envelope body and the pocket formed by flap extension 60 remain securely closed.

It is apparent from the above construction that the invention provides an envelope or other container which is economical to manufacture, convenient in use and effective for concomitantly securing together as a unit the closure flap, the front and back panels and extensions of the bottom flap, where employed, in condition to unfailingly retain articles which may have some bulk and weight without danger of loss from the envelope even should the closure flap be detached. The invention thereby provides an envelope with markedly increased utility and security for its contents.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects and while it has been herein disclose c l by reference to the details of preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that various modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an envelope formed of a pair of opposed panels and having a closure flap hingedly connected to one of said panels, said flop having an open position and a closed osition in which said flap is folded over the other of said panels, envelope closing means, comprising: formation of said panels to define mutually registering apertures therethrough; and a fastener having a base portion fixed to said fiap and larger in at least one overall dimension than said apertures, said base portion being oriented in said closed flap position so as not to fit through said apertures, said fastener having a prong member connected to said base portion and disposed in its unused condition to lie fiat over the inner surface of said flap in said closed flap position, and said flap and fastener being arranged so that said prong member is adapted to be raised up from said inner fiap surface for insertion through said apertures and subsequently to lie fiat against the outer surface of the one of said panels to which said flap is connected for holding said fiap in said closed position and for holding said panels together between said prong member and said base portion.

2. In an envelope formed of a pair of opposed panels and having a closed bottom, an open top, and a top closure flap hingedly connected to one of said panels, said flap having an open position and a closed position in which said flap is folded over the other of said panels, envelope closing means, comprising: formation of said panels to define mutually registering apertures therethrough near said open top; and a metal prong fastener having a base portion fixed to said flap and larger in at least one overall dimension than said apertures, said base portion being oriented in said closed ap position so as not to fit through said apertures, said fastener having bendable prong members connected to said base portion and disposed in their unused conidtion to lie fiat over the inner surface of said flap in said closed flap position, and said flap and fastener being arranged so that said prong members are adapted to be bent up from said inner flap surface for insertion through said apertures and for bending against the outer surface of said one of said panels to which said flap is connected for holding said flap in said closed position and for holding said panels together between said prong members and said base portion.

3. The envelope closing means of claim 2 wherein a coating of adhesive is disposed on said inner surface of said flap about said fastener to permit adhesive securing of said flap in said closed position in aid of said fastener.

4. The envelope closing means of claim 3 wherein said fiap has an extension that is removably united with said flap along a line of weakness and that is free of said adhesive, said extension being adapted to bear indicia.

5. A stackable envelope substantially flat in its unopened, unused condition, and formed of a sheet of material the longitudinal edges of which are overlapped and adhered together to form a lap joint, said envelope having a pair of opposed panels, a closed bottom, an open top, and a top closure flap hingedly connected to one of said panels, said flap having an open position and a closed position in which said flap is folded over the other of said panels, each of said panels being formed with mutually registering apertures therethrough, one of said apertures being formed through the overlapped portions of said sheet at said lap joint, a metal prong fastener having a base portion fixed to said flap and larger in at least one overall dimension than said apertures, said base portion being oriented in said closed flap position so as not to fit through said apertures, said fastener having benda'ble prong members connected to said base portion and disposed in their unused condition to lie fiat over the inner surface of said flap in said closed flap position, said flap and fastener being arranged so that said prong members are adapted to be beat up from said inner flap surface for insertion through said apertures and for subsequent bending against the outer surface of the one of said panels to which said fiap is connected for holding said flap in said closed position and for holding said panels together between said prong mpmbers and said base portion, whereby said panels are held together even upon physical removal of said fastener from said flap.

6. An envelope having the structure specified in claim 5 wherein a coating of adhesive is disposed about said fastener on the inner surface of said fiap in said closed fiap position to permit adhesive securing of said flap in said closed position in aid of said fastener, and wherein the sides of said envelope are folded to provide expansible gussets.

7. An envelope having the structure specified in claim 5 wherein said flap has an extension united with said flap along a line of weakness so as to be removable from said flap, said extension being adapted to 'bear in dicia.

8. An envelope having front and back panels, and being formed of a sheet of material the longitudinal edges of which are overlapped and adhered together along a lap joint in said back panel, said envelope having a closed bottom and an open top, and a top closure flap hingedly connected to said front panel, said flap having an open position and a closed position in which said fiap is folded over said back panel, said front and back panels being formed with mutually registering apertures therethrough, said aperture in said back panel being formed through the overlapped portions of said sheet at said lap joint, and a metal prong fastener having a base portion fixed to s-aid flap and larger in at least one over-all dimension than said apertures, said base portion being oriented in said closed flap position so as not to fit through said apertures, said fastener having bendable prong members connected to said base portion and disposed in their unused condition to lie flat over the inner surface of said flap in said closed flap position, said flap and fastener being arranged so that said prong members are adapted to be bent up from said inner flap surface for insertion through said apertures and for subsequent bending against the outer surface of said front panel for holding said flap in said closed position and for holding said panels together between said prong members and said base portion, whereby said panels are held together even upon physical removal of said fastener from said flap.

9. An evelope having the structure specified in claim 8 wherein a coating of adhesive is disposed on the inner surface of said fiap in said closed flap position to permit adhesive securin of said flap in said closed position in aid of said fastener, and wherein the sides of said envelope are folded to provide expansible gussets.

10. An envelope having the structure specified in claim 8 wherein said flap has an extension united with said fiap along a line of weakness so as to be removable from said flap, said extension being adapted to bear indicia.

11. The envelope of claim 8 including a coating of adhesive on the inner surface of said fiap in said closed fiap position to permit adhesive securing of said flap in said closed position, and said flap having a first extension united therewith along a first line of Weakness for removal from said flap, and a second extension united with said first extension along a second line of Weakness for removal from said first extension, said first and second extensions being adapted to bear indicia.

12. The envelope of claim 8 having a bottom closure flap connected with said front panel and folded over and adhered to said back panel, said bottom closure flap being formed with an extension that is united with said bottom closure flap along a line of weakness to permit detachment of said extension from said bottom closure flap, said bottom flap extension being adapted to bear indicia.

13. The envelope of claim 8 having a bottom closure flap that is connected with said front panel and folded over and substantially oo-extensively overlying said back panel, said bottom closure flap being adhesively secured to said back panel in a generally U-shaped pattern along bottom and side marginal areas of said back panel to provide an external pocket on the back of said envelope.

14. An envelope having the structure specified in claim 11 wherein the sides of said envelope are folded to provide expansible gussets.

15. An envelope having the structure specified in claim 12 wherein the sides of said envelope are folded to provide expansible gussets.

16. An envelope having the structure specified in claim 13 wherein the sides of said envelope are folded to provide expansible gussets.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 227,077 4/ 1880 Tompkins 229-75 392,964 11/1888 McCulla.

502,560 8/1893 Gleason 229-78 534,458 2/ 1895 Vance 229-75 646,638 4/ 1900 Cutler.

697,960 4/ 1902 Adams 229-78 1,061,341 5/1913 Vierengel 229-78 1,177,886 4/ 1916 Newcomb 229- 1,282,443 10/ 1918 Lyes 229- X JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

Examiners.

D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN ENVELOPE FORMED OF A PAIR OF OPPOSED PANELS AND HAVING A CLOSURE FLAP HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID PANELS, SAID FLOP HAVING AN OPEN POSITION AND A CLOSED POSITION IN WHICH SAID FLAP IS FOLDED OVER THE OTHER OF SAID PANELS, ENVELOPE CLOSING MEANS, COMPRISING: FORMATION OF SAID PANELS OF DEFINE MUTUALLY REGISTERING APERTURES THERETHROUGH; AND A FASTENER HAVING A BASE PORTION FIXED TO SAID FLAP AND LARGER IN AT LEAST ONE OVERALL DIMENSION THAN SAID APERTURES, SAID BASE PORTION BEING ORIENTED IN SAID CLOSED FLAP POSITION SO AS NOT TO FIT THROUGH SAID APERTURES, SAID FASTENER HAVING A PRONG MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID BASE PORTION AND DISPOSED IN ITS UNUSED CONDITION TO LIE FLAT OVER THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID FLAP IN SAID CLOSED FLAP POSITION, AND SAID FLAP AND FASTENER BEING ARRANGED SO THAT SAID PRONG MEMBER IS ADAPTED TO BE RAISED UP FROM SAID INNER FLAP SURFACE FOR INSERTION THROUGH SAID APERTURES AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO LIE FLAT AGAINST THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE ONE OF SAID PANELS TO WHICH SAID FLAP IS CONNECTED FOR HOLDING SAID FLAP IN SAID CLOSED POSITION AND FOR HOLDING SAID PANELS TOGETHER BETWEEN SAID PRONG MEMBER AND SAID BASE PORTION. 